2014 Guide To Coachella

The good news is Golden Voice got it together early this year and the bands have been announced. The bad news is Coachella is completely sold out. If you do have tickets, you have plenty of time to get ready for an extended weekend in the heat of Indio.

A festival-goer crowd surfs during The Gaslamp Killer's set at the Do Lab stage during Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. on Sunday, April 14, 2013. (SGVN/Staff photo by Watchara Phomicinda)

Managing the Weather

Coachella's three-day music blitz comes but once a year. Still, the unforgiving desert can ride roughshod on your skin. Drink plenty of water in the daytime so you can tip back a few alcoholic drinks at night.

CLICK HERE for Coachella Valley 10 day Weather forecast information.CLICK HERE to see what the “average” weather is like in Indio, CA. all year long.

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival day 3 at the festival comes to a end on Sunday, April 14, 2013, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. (Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Bulletin)

The In-N-Out

Venue gates open at 11:00AM each day. Arrival time: Come as early as possible so you won't get caught in a traffic jam. Carpools are recommended, but be prepared for delays. The easiest and fastest arrival and departure, take a shuttle.

Day of Show Essentials

Bring sunscreen. And more sunscreen. A large, woven straw hand fan can block the sun and cool you off at the same time.

Unfortunately carrying a medical marijuana card doesn't mean you can smoke up at Coachella. Festival officials suggest going to the Smokefest (which smelled more like a pee fest).

E-cigs are OK, but no e-juice or e-liquid refills will be allowed inside the venue.

In the past you could bring an umbrella, but it seems they are a no-no this year because they block the view of other festival-goers. Hand-held fans are OK, and check out the custom art baseball caps here -- etsy.com/shop/CalacaCaps there is still time to get one. These will save your face from the sun's boiling gamma rays. If you forget anything, sunglasses, visors, hats and sunscreen will be sold at Coachella.

There will free cell-phone charging available throughout the festival. Check back in the coming weeks for details, or just look on the festival guide when you get there.

Bottled water will be sold for only $2 (same price since 1999) at numerous vendor locations. Also there will be water fountains. You can bring an empty refillable non-metal bottle.

What To Wear

Thin, layered clothing, flip-flops and a light bag -- you don't want to be hauling ass with a huge knapsack and clopping around in high heels in the friggin desert. Bring a sweater or jacket for the colder evening temperatures.

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival day 3 at the festival comes to a end on Sunday, April 14, 2013, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.

(Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Bulletin)

A complete list of YES and NO bringables are noted on the official Coachella website.

Camping, see camping Parking

The Gaslamp Killer performs at the Do Lab stage during Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. on Sunday, April 14, 2013. (SGVN/Staff photo by Watchara Phomicinda)

The parking is FREE and the lot is huge. There is NO overnight parking -- don't even think about it. IF your car is not out by 2 a.m., your car will be towed, and you'll have to hoof it back home.

Nearest bus stop? In downtown Indio about 3 miles from the venue. Nearest gas station or drugstore? A gas station is about 3.6 miles away at Monroe and Highway 111.

There are several places to buy food up and down Highway 111.

The closest grocery store, a Ralph's, a coffee shop and restaurants are in the shopping center at the corner of Jefferson and 50th. Getting Here Google Maps will help guide you. HERE is satellite view of venue. You can zoom out.